System and method for using color to indicate a state of a home appliance, such as an iron
AssigneeSears Brands, L.L.C.
InventorsEllen Glassman, David Farrage
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for using color to indicate a state of a home appliance, such as an iron. The iron has a sole plate and a water tank in fluid communication with the sole plate, a heater for heating the sole plate, a sensor for sensing a temperature of the sole plate, a user interface for setting a desired temperature for the sole plate, and a controller in communication with user interface and the sensor for controlling the heater. An illumination device under the control of the controller is provided to illuminate the water tank, particularly the interior thereof, in a color that is representative of a state of the iron, such as a power condition of the iron and/or a temperature of the sole plate.
Claims25
An iron, comprising:
- a iron body having a sole plate and a water tank in fluid communication with the sole plate;
- a heater for heating the sole plate;
- a sensor for sensing a temperature of the sole plate;
- a user interface for setting a desired temperature for the sole plate;
- a controller in communication with user interface and the sensor for controlling the heater;
- and
- an illumination device under the control of the controller for illuminating the water tank in a color that is representative of a state of the iron.
A method for presenting state information for an iron, comprising:
- sensing a state of the iron;
- and
- illuminating an interior of a water tank of the iron in a color that is representative of the sensed state.
A home appliance, comprising:
- a body having a translucent water tank in fluid communication with a steam outlet;
- a heater associated with the water tank for heating water within the water tank to thereby produce steam to be issued via the steam outlet;
- a sensor for sensing a temperature associated with the water tank;
- a user interface for setting a desired temperature associated with the water tank;
- a controller in communication with user interface and the sensor for controlling the heater;
- and
- an illumination device under the control of the controller for illuminating the water tank in a color that is representative of a temperature state associated with the water tank as sensed by the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.